15. This Thursday we mounted all the rest of the new gunns; the wind at N.Eᵗ. to E.N.E. Yᵉ French fleet wayed and plyed towards us; anchored about 4 miles short of us.
16. This Fryday morneing the French fleet weighed and plyed up to us. About 9 a clock this morneing Monsʳ Conte d’Estrees,[a] ther Admˡˡ, who wore his flagg at yᵉ foretopmast head, being V. Admˡˡ of Fraunce, past by us about musket shote or somewᵗ more asterne of us; struck his flagg, lored his topsailes and saluted us, I meane yᵉ Prince, wᵗʰ 13 peece of ordnance; we returned him eleven in answer. Presantly after Monsʳ Conte d’Estrees came on bord us, to waite on his Highnes yᵉ Prince. This evening came of from Rye his Majᵗʸ and R. Highnes in there yachts; came on bord us; stayed about one hower and a halfe, and then returned to the yachts againe after 8 at night.
17. This Satuarday morneing, the wind at N. by E., blowing very fresh, the Prince went on bord the Cleeveland yacht to waite upon his Majᵗʸ; and about ½ an hower after the King, Duke, and Prince came on bord this ship. This forenoone we spread a standard in the mizen shrowds, fired a gunn to call on bord us the flagg oficers. This day the King and Duke dyned on bord us. The wind hath blowne very hard at N.N.E. and N.E. by N. all day.
18. This Sonday the wind vered to the east and by north, and back to yᵉ N.N.Eᵗ. at night; blew very fresh all day. This day the King dyned on bord Conte d’Estrees; the standard at maine topmast head; his flagg struck wᶜʰ he wore at the foretopmast head. This evening the King and Duke supt on bord us, and at 9 aclock tooke ther leaves of us and went on shore to Rye. This day the noble Lord Ossory[] hoysted the Reare Admˡˡ blew flagg on bord the St. Michael.
19. This Monday morning, about 3 aclock, being at anchor still, the wind at E.N.Eᵗ., we designed to weigh, but, bloweing fresh, we rode fast all this day.
20. This Tuesday, at 3 in the morneing, being alaramed by seavrall gunns from the eastwards, we fired a gunn and put out a light in the mainetopmast shrowds, our signall of weighing, but did not weigh by reason of the ebb tyde, the wind being at S.Eᵗ. We had intelligence, by a sloop, of 70 saile of Hollanders seene on the back of yᵉ Goodwin, and wᵗʰout the Sᵒ Sands Head; but proved to be, by our 2d intelligence by the litle Greyhound, a fleet of Hamburghers of 26 saile only. This forenoone we weighed with all the fleet; stood to the southwards; at noone tackt; litle wind. We anchored about 2 aclock, yᵉ Nesse light howse N. by E., in 21 fadoms, 7 miles distance. This day his Highnes the Prince dyned on bord the Conte d’Estrees, who struck his flagg as soone as the Prince was on bord him, and the Prince’s Jack flagg hoysted up at mainetopmast head; and, whilst the Prince remaind on bord him, his flagg (I meane yᵉ Conte d’Estrees) was kept furld. Towards evening the Hamburgʳˢ fleet plyed by us to the wᵗwards; gave us many gunns in saluts. Yᵉ wind, since 4 in the afternoone, at W.S.W. and Wᵗ. This night we rode fast.
21. This 21 day, Wedensday morneing, at 4 aclock, we wayed wᵗʰ the whole fleet; wind at W. by Nᵒ., a fine fresh gale. By 10 aclock the wind came to yᵉ S.Wᵗ. We steered away on the back of the Goodwin. About 4, afternoone, we anchored in 10 fadom watter, on the flatts of the Nᵒ Forland, the lighthouse beareing W. by S. southerly, about 6 miles distant.
22. This Thursday morneing we wayed by 5 aclock; steered away E. by Nᵒ. and E.N.Eᵗ. to goe cleare of the showld of the Falls;[c] the wind at S.W., a fine gale. After we had gote without ye Falls, we hauled up E. b. S. and E.S.E.; a fresh gale at S.W. About 4 in the afternoone we made the coast of Flaunders. At 6, evening, we anchored in 15 fadoms watter, Oostend spire steeples beareing S.E. by Sᵒ, 5 leagues distant. This evening we saw the Dutch fleet, part of them; they rode in Schonvelt. Our scout gave us accᵗ they were but 86 saile, the outside, small and great. They wayed and turned up amongst yᵉ bancks towards the Weelings.
23. This Fryday morneing, by 6 aclock, yᵉ flood being done, we wayed; wind at S.S.W., litle wind. We stood in; drew our ships into a lyne of batayle. Our squadron ledd the van, the French in the midle, and yᵉ blew squadron in the reare. We sayled and drove soe farr to the N.E. wards that we brought Oostend steeples south easterly, about 5 leagues or six leagues of. Anchored in 11 fadom watter, within the oyster bancks. Yᵉ Dutch fleet, yᵉ nᵒmost, bore E.N.E.; and yᵉ southmost Eᵗ, southerly from us, about 3 leagues. This night have had but litle wind at S.S.W. and S.Wᵗ.